[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 3 (Monday, January 19, 2004)]
[Pages 68-69]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to Discussions With President Jose Maria Aznar of Spain

January 14, 2004

    President Bush. Bienvenidos a mi amigo, a friend of mine, a friend 
of our country, a person who I admire a lot. This is a happy moment and 
a sad moment. It's happy to be with President Aznar. It is sad to 
realize this will be the last time he'll come to the Oval Office as the 
leader of Spain.
    I say ``sad'' because our time together has been very productive for 
the people of America and, I believe, the people of Spain and the people 
of the world. We have worked together to spread freedom, and the world 
is more peaceful today because of the decisions we jointly made.
    However, this is not the last time I will see the President. I am 
confident that the friendship we have made will last beyond our--my time 
in office and his time in office. I look back--I look forward to 
welcoming him back to America as a non-President. We'll be members of 
the ex-Presidents club.
    And so, Mr. President, I'm really glad you're here. I look forward 
to having dinner

[[Page 69]]

with you tonight and your great wife. And again, in front of these 
cameras, I want to thank you for your steadfast leadership, for your 
courage, for your wisdom, and your advice.

[At this point, President Aznar spoke in Spanish, and no translation was 
provided.]

    President Bush. Thank you all.
    Q. Translation?
    President Bush. He doesn't need to translate for me. I understood 
every word. [Laughter]

[The interpreter then translated President Aznar's remarks as follows.]

    President Aznar. Good evening, everyone. I want to thank President 
Bush once again for this very warm welcome, for the invitation, for his 
hospitality. For me, it is a satisfaction and an honor to be here with 
him again. I consider him a very good friend. He has been my friend 
during my time as President of the Government of Spain, and I will 
continue to consider him my friend afterwards.
    And a friend--I am a friend of the United States now, and I will 
continue to be a friend of the United States in the future. I consider 
that, at present, the relationship between Spain and the United States 
is closer and tighter than it has ever been.
    I will continue to work to do everything to strengthen the 
relationship, the Atlantic link. I will work for freedom, for human 
rights, for democracy, for stability, prosperity around the world. And I 
know that President Bush will be able to count upon me to continue 
working in that direction. So I will continue to work for the world and 
for the relationship between the United States and Spain.
    President Bush. Adios.

Note: The President spoke at 6:28 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Ana Botella de Aznar, wife of 
President Aznar. A tape was not available for verification of the 
content of these remarks.